With the 2011-12 season’s first week grinding to a close, congratulations are in order for the Big Ball Dance League’s One Piece, who sit atop the RCL standings setting the pace for the rest of the us. They don’t lead any one category, but they’re in the top 10 in five of eight stat categories, which is pretty bananas when you think about it. Then again, so is having Kobe and Pau on the same fantasy team like he does. There weren’t a ton of weaknesses in his draft and he’s made some interesting tinkering moves already, including trading Dirk Nowitzki off his team for Paul George and Jeff Teague. I’d love to hear the thinking behind that and why no one from the BBD League protested it.

At any rate, One Piece sits in third in his division, but has played five fewer games than the two teams ahead of him. Which brings us to how the RCL rankings are calculated.Each teams totals are divided by the number of games they’ve played to even out the field. Those averages in each category are then ranked across all five divisions. So instead of worst being 12th place, last place is now 60th. Of course, these rankings assume that everyone will play the maximum number of games at year’s end (which rarely happens), but hopefully, breaking it down like this will keep those in the bottom motivated to keep tinkering.As the season goes on, I’ll have more analysis for each league, but this week, I just wanted to introduce things. Get you all comfortable. Coax you into taking your jacket ff so I can rifle through it when you step into the bathroom. You know, normal stuff.

Interesting that you would ask about the Nowitzki trade
-according to the email i received we have until Dec 31 9:33 ET PM to veto
-Why are you using the past tense in refferring to it as though it is a done deal?
-It’s also very difficult to vote against it when you click the link and find the address is not valid
– And now Tsung -Hao can claim interference if the trade fails to go through, can he not?

@George Costanza: His shot selection is terrible. Everything that I dislike about his game stems from one shot or another that shouldn’t have been attempted. You didn’t mention that he shot 2-for-8 in the game you cited. Just a personal preference thing. I avoid him.

@Chow: Possible, yes. But I’m suddenly worried about Sacramento’s ball movement. I’m worried Evans is more of a 19/5/2.5 guy this season. I think he’ll straighten out his FT%. It’s only been three games and he’s getting to the line almost twice as much as he did last season. Usually when that happens, the player shoots worse.

News: Andrei Kirilenko will finish out his season with CSKA Moscow in Russia, reports Hoopsworld.com on Saturday. Kirilenko will not return to the NBA this season.
Analysis: Fantasy owners can officially forget about Kirilenko for the season. He’s not coming back to the Jazz or any team in the NBA. The forward said he didn’t feel it was right to leave his Moscow teammates in the middle of the season. Fantasy owners can drop him in all formats

@Eric: Wall and Evans, yes. Afflalo, I stand by my projections, but I’d rank him lower. I underestimated Lowry. Not a ton, but enough to fill me with regret and self-loathing for at least three weeks or so!

@AL KOHOLIC: “AK47 is not walkin’ through that door!” – Avery Johnson, newest pep-talk to the Nets.

@Hank Scorpio: That Rubio pick looks a heluva lot better today than it would have two weeks ago/ Conley pick looks slightly worse. You might be low on threes. Still, overall a great team.

Based on rest of season upside, who’d you rather add first – Delfino or DJ White. I have an open spot once I drop Pargo since Conley is coming back. Also – would you drop Evan Turner for the other of the two guys mentioned earlier?

HeyAdam, love the stuff you write here. Just had a trade question I wanted to get your thoughts on.

I have McGee, Hibbert and Monroe at center, and Westbrook, Jennings, Teague and Harris at the point. Thinking of offering Monroe and Harris for Jrue Holiday to a C-needy owner. Would pick up Dalembert to replace Monroe. Thoughts?

Ryan Anderson and Calderon are available on the waiver-wire. I’m thinking of offering a 2-for-1 to consolidate talent and then add one of these FAs. Is Wright/Harris for Josh Smith wise and reasonable?

Im having problems with players fitting into SF. I have westbrook brandon jennings ty lawson and andre miller at PG. Should I offer westbrook for rudy gay and collison? all i have at SF is nick batum and thad young.

@Josh: If you’re dead set against getting rid of him, Dalembert is on of the better Cs still available in most leagues. You might drop him once against if DeMarcus Cousins ends up in Houston, but that’s a long shot.

@Joe: If you’re offering up Westbrook, I’d aim for a better kicker PG to package with Gay. Without Westie, your PG crew would be too weak.

@Eric: You’ve got the two best players in basketball and a solid batch of
pgs. But that’s it. Either you’re going to have to let go of one of the big two or spend five hours a day scouring smart FA pickups.